Lice Prevention • Lice Do’s, Don’ts • Terms

Project Description

LICE PREVENTION

Typically , the awareness of the presence of head lice is received by a Parent, Care Giver, or Guardian from a notice distributed to them by their child’s School Nurse. Due to the generalities of the notice, the Parent, Care Giver, or Guardian may discard it without taking action. We strongly encourage that you adopt a proactive stance against the presence of this very persistent Eco-parasite (External Parasite).

STEP 1

DIAGNOSIS

Examine the scalp of the child or teen that has had the potential exposure to head lice in sunlight or under bright artificial (fluorescent) light. Finding nits is the most effective way of diagnosing a infestation. Part the hair and examine individual strands for nits. Begin at the nape of the neck and behind the ears as head lice do not like light or extreme temperature. Continue to check the entire scalp if these two areas are clear. Nits range in color from white to yellowish-brown to solid brown. They can be mistaken initially with that of a flake of dandruff, a dried particle, hairspray, gel, hair muff, DEC plug, etc. The distinguishing characteristic of a nit is that they are firmly glued to the hair and must be removed with a fine toothed comb, fingernails, or snipped off with scissors. All members of the family should be examined.

STEP 2

PREVENTATIVE APPROACH

Due to the fact that there has been notification of the presence of head lice at a location commonly frequented by one of your loved ones, we strongly encourage the following preventative measures should your initial diagnosis yield that head lice are not found.

GIRLS

Keep your hair in a ponytail or braid.

Avoid hair-to-hair contact by hugging or placing your head on the shoulder of another. Perhaps, bring back the “High Five” as an expression of love.

Absolutely do not share pillows, sleeping bags. Establish distinctive distance of sleeping arrangements if a sleepover is necessary. Vacuum the room immediately once the sleepover participants are awake. Wash all linens that were used during the sleepover at 150 degrees.

BOYS

Keep the hair short, above the ears and off the nape of the neck.

Follow all other applicable steps indicated above referenced for girls.

STEP 3

AFFIRMATIVE LICE DETECTION STRATEGY

The Parent, Care Giver, or Guardian may choose over the counter lice removal products. Keep in mind that head lice are developing resistance to lice-killing products faster than new ones are being developed. Lindane, Malathion, Natural Pyrethrins, and Permethrin are the active ingredients of over the counter (OTC) lice removal products and are insecticides.

Hire a Lice Removal Service to remove the head lice and nits from the infected individual. Due to the nature of the head lice life cycle and the complexity of its ultimate eradication, we strongly encourage the use of a professional Lice Removal Service such as O.C.’s Hair Police.

STEP 4

MINIMIZE RE-INFESTATION

We guarantee our work. Allow us to eradicate the head lice with our Non-Toxic ABSOLUTE CLEAR enzymes and professional combing. Once you are lice-free, please adopt a proactive preventative approach toward the prevalence of head lice as discussed above.

TIPS ON LICE PREVENTION AND/OR RE-INFESTATION

Wash all clothing, bedding and linens that may have been in contact with the infested individual within 2 days leading up to the detection of head lice in 150 degree hot water and dried on high heat for 20 minutes.

Soak all hair brushes, combs at 150 degrees in soapy hot water or rubbing alcohol.

Tightly bag up all dolls and stuffed animals and remove from any area that may have been in contact with the loved one that is infested for at least one week.

Please do not spray any area with Insecticides. This is unnecessary and may cause an adverse physical reaction.

Keep the above advisory tips in perspective as head lice cannot live off their Host (the human scalp) for more than 24 to 48 hours!!

LICE DO’s AND DON’Ts

DO Check Everyone In The Home For Lice

Head lice can be spread whenever there is direct contact of the head or hair with an infested individual. Lice can also be spread through the sharing of personal articles like hats, towels, brushes, helmets, hair ties, etc. There is also a possibility of spreading head lice via a pillow, headrest or similar items.

The nit removal comb separates hair strands easily, and provides a hygienic approach for you and the lice infected head alike.

DO Use Dry Heat To Kill LIce

Lice dislike dry heat. Place clothes, hats, towels, etc. in a hot dryer (150 degrees) for twenty minutes, which should kill lice and their eggs.

DO Vacuum The Home

Vacuuming Is best. Vacuuming is the safest and most effective way to remove lice or fallen hairs with attached nits from upholstered furniture, rugs, stuffed animals, the interior of cars, etc.

Some entomologists believe that you do not have to clean the home environment at all because head lice die very quickly once they are off the human head (24-48 hours), are very slow moving off the head, while nits need a human blood meal within 45 minutes of hatching to survive.

That said, most people are not comfortable unless they do some cleaning of the home environment.

DO NOT Spray Furniture Or Bedding

Head lice are human parasites and require human blood to survive. They are not environmental pests so pesticidal sprays for furniture and bedding are unnecessary and a serious risk to health. Vacuuming is the safest and best way to remove lice (see “Do Vacuum the Home”).

DO NOT Repeat Lice Chemical Treatments More Than 3 Times

If you have used a pediculicide correctly and still have live lice or new nits, you probably have a persistent case of head lice. Persistent head lice is defined as three incidents of live lice found over a 6-week period and are commonly referred to as Super Lice.

If you have head lice that have resisted treatment, do not continue to use additional chemically based solutions in the hopes that they will work. They will not. Further, such chemical treatments are NOT intended to be used repeatedly because of the potentially severe health risk resulting from excessive use.

DO NOT Send A Child With Lice To School

Regardless of the school policy, a child with head lice or nits should not return to school until the infestation has been addressed. Generally, you may send your child back to school after completing one treatment, a thorough nit combing, and manual removal of all nits and lice. At this point, there should be nothing left on the head that is capable of moving onto another head.

LICE AND NITS: GLOSSARY, DEFINITION OF TERMS

Pediculosis:

The condition of head lice.

Head Lice:

Head lice are tiny, wingless bugs. The nit (egg) is the size of a sesame seed or smaller. An adult louse is comparable to ant and/or gnat. Lice have six legs with tiny claws and live only on the human scalp. Head lice can range in color from light brown to gray. While annoying, head lice are not life threatening.

Super Lice:

Super lice are head lice that are able to withstand prescription and chemically based OTC head lice solutions. Super lice are resistant to the active ingredients in lice remedies to the extent that they continue to thrive on your head. If you have been diligent with combing and the application of either prescription or the OTC solution and lice is still prevalent, then you may have the misfortune of having contracted super lice. Head Lice and/or Super Lice CANNOT EVER develop resistance to our Non-Toxic ABSOLUTE CLEAR enzymes.

Nits:

The eggs that produce head lice. Nits are tiny, whitish, yellowish-brown to solid brown oval eggs firmly attached to one side of the hair shaft at an angle. Viable nits are usually, but not always, found within one half-inch of the scalp.

Pediculicides:

The pesticides used to eliminate head lice. You can purchase pediculicides at retail outlets under brand names such as: Rid, Nix, Pronto and Equate. These products contain insecticides (Lindane, Malathion, Natural Pyrethrins, and Permethrin) and should always be used with caution. Check with your pharmacist or doctor to determine which product is safe for your family. Never use these products if you are pregnant or nursing, or on an infant under 6 months of age. As well, significant side effects can also occur to the elderly and those weighing less than 110 lbs. Please be aware that repetitive use of these products has been documented to create an unhealthy reaction. Follow the directions exactly when using them. DO NOT overuse!

Ovide:

This is a prescribed lotion administered by a physician. Ovide contains Malathion. Malathion is a pesticide widely used in agriculture. Ovide contains .005g Malathion. Currently there is not reliable information offered by the EPA addressing possible negative effects of chronic exposure to Malathion by humans. Prior to accepting this prescription, please do consider that Ovide contains a pesticide which when applied will make its way into the blood stream of the patient.

DEC Plugs or Hair Muffs:

Desquamated Epithelial Cell plugs (DEC), are often mistaken for nits. DEC plugs can be irritated skin after using a pediculicide. This causes many caregivers to over treat with chemicals thus continuing the cycle. If you are not sure if you are seeing nits or irritated skin plugs from pediculicides, place a suspected nit on a hair shaft in a Ziploc and take it to a professional Head Lice Removal Company or your doctor to have one or the other confirm the diagnosis by examining the particle in question. Antihistamines can offer relief to the itching and/or allergic reaction to the application of Pediculicide.

“Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” – William James

O.C.’s Hair Police is guided
by the faith that Knowledge is Power!

We are committed to providing extensive information to the communities of families we care for ranging from Head Lice Removal Services to taking the time to answer frequently asked questions to providing preventative measures that are specifically crafted to meet the lifestyle of those of you battling back against head lice and nits.